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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123562">Protect V</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/and_the_one_we_live_in_now/pseuds/and_the_one_we_live_in_now'>and_the_one_we_live_in_now</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Order of the Stick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, During Canon, Durkoff, My First AO3 Post, Other, Partial Mind Control, Vampires, a teeny tiny fic, or however else you wanna interpret their dynamic, quoiromantic, relationship anarchy, we stan Mr. Scruffy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:35:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>493</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123562</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/and_the_one_we_live_in_now/pseuds/and_the_one_we_live_in_now</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief look inside Belkar's head in strips 1122-1127, as he defended Vaarsuvius while Fighting Under The Influence (of vampires).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Belkar Bitterleaf &amp; Mr. Scruffy, Belkar Bitterleaf &amp; Vaarsuvius, Belkar Bitterleaf/Vaarsuvius</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Protect V</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi all! This is my very first post on AO3, and while it's yet to be seen if I can figure out how to read and/or reply to comments, I'd love to hear y'all's thoughts! </p><p>I personally headcanon V as comfortable with any pronouns, but since Belkar uses she/her pronouns for V in strip 911, that's what I went with here.</p><p>also also: so many thanks to anyone who donated to my friend's upcoming top surgery; he was able to raise enough to cover the rest of the surgery fees! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Belkar, protect V.”</p><p>“What? No way, we should be going after the clerics!”</p><p>It wasn’t that Belkar was so horribly opposed to playing bodyguard for the elf. Generally he’d rather be in the thick of the action, sure, but hanging around Ears was often a better time than babysitting Elan, even now that mocking the elf had lost much of its appeal. And these guys were pretty serious -- it was possible that Ears really would get badly hurt. But she was a competent fighter, at least when there wasn’t a gang of pointy-mouthed bastards undoing her spells as quickly as she cast them. It seemed to Belkar like ashing the asshats was the fastest way to gain the upper hand in this fight.</p><p>“I am,” Roy replied, yeeting his sword across the room like the idiot he was. It flew straight through one of the clerics, immediately dusting her. Okay, not bad. Durkoff started talking, and wh-- FUCK, were his eyes glowing, no no no no not the fucking . . .</p><p>. . . where was he? A battle, right. What was happening? Roy was there, Roy had a glowing sword . . . there were vampires, too; that’s right, they were fighting vampires. Why were they fighting vampires? Did it matter? What mattered? Was Mr. Scruffy safe? Yeah, Mr. Scruffy’s right there, he’s cool. Where was V? Was V safe? V was behind him, V was on the ground, V had three arrows in her back. Someone was running towards her, about to cast a spell -- he had to protect V. Protect V no matter what. Stab the person. Don’t let them hurt V. Keep V safe.</p><p>The person was still here. Saying words; the words weren’t important. Just keep V safe. They try to get too close, stab them. The bird was there; it got dark. Sunglasses? Weird. The bird was too close, stab him. The person was too close, stab again. Mr. Scruffy was there, but that’s okay; Mr. Scruffy wouldn’t hurt V. Mr. Scruffy curled up with V sometimes. V pet Mr. Scruffy when she thought Belkar wasn’t looking. Mr. Scruffy was safe. V was safe. Belkar would keep them safe.</p><p>Someone hit Belkar. It was Roy. Why was Roy attacking him? Did Roy want to hurt V? That didn’t make much sense. But Belkar couldn’t afford to take chances. Stop Roy. Whatever it takes. V was behind him, V was on the ground, V had three arrows in her back. V needed to live through this. If Belkar could stop anyone from hurting her more, maybe she would live, when they lost. Maybe they’d take her prisoner. She’d find a way out. Roy could die. Maybe Belkar could die. Mr. Scruffy needed to live. V needed to live. Roy had hit him; he was flying. He was going to land, and if he didn’t die first, he was going to get back up. And he would keep fighting. Whatever it takes. He would keep them safe.</p>
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